The High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to submit by April 17 a list of buildings that house chemical warehouses, factories and shops in Old Dhaka.
The virtual High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzaaman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) in the form of public interest litigation, reports UNB.
Secretaries to the Ministry of Industries, Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dhaka South City Corporation's (DSCC) mayor, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) chairman, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Director General of Department of Explosives were asked to submit the list.
Besides, the court sought progress reports on establishing permanent and temporary Chemical Estates in Munshiganj, Shyampur, and Tongi.
Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan appeared for the writ petition while Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas for the state.
Bela, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), Ain O Shalish Kendro (ASK), Fatema Akhter and Md Nasir Uddin on behalf of the affected people filed this writ.
The HC also issued a rule asking why 11 agencies concerned will not be declared illegal for failing to take action as per the reports given by the government after various fire incidents and take action against the owners of all illegal chemical warehouses, factories and buildings.
Bela in the press briefing said that 71 people were killed and many others injured in a devastating fire that broke out on February 20, 2019 at Churihatta in Chawkbazar of Old Dhaka.
But member of the affected families have not received compensation yet and are living an inhuman condition.
The rule also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to compensate and rehabilitate the families of the victims of Churihatta fire within four weeks.
At the same time, the court wanted to know why the authorities concerned will not be directed to implement adequate water supply and hydrant points in Old Dhaka and the recommendations for widening roads there.